Criticism
January 28, 1999
Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.
The animosities built up in recent weeks around the revision of our preamble burst over us even before the meeting opened. Thankfully, only old hands were present and we did not have to protect newcomers from the onslaught. There was no time for readings and little for metaphysical insight. (We have however included the readings brought in — see above.)
The decision last week to study and pray over "Criticism"was an effort to forestall such chaotic conditions — but as with all such human outlining there's just no predicting the result. Some members had worked on the situation in Christian Science, and this no doubt laid down a firm foundation on which the meeting could push forward to increasing clarity.
The two members who disagreed as to whether the format should prohibit "criticism and judgement"noisily proclaimed their opinions which might be summarized as follows:
1) I do not feel safe in sharing — nor would most people, especially newcomers — if my/their comments are subject to criticism. We have driven away lots of people by criticism.
2) I wouldn't want to come to a meeting where free speech is restricted. The reason this group has persisted and flourished for 14 years is that all comments, even critical ones, are welcome. I myself want criticism!
Others in the room did their best to insert some truths into the mix and to find common ground. One pointed out that the word criticism comes from Indo European roots meaning "to cut or separate"while the word group derives from a root that promotes the thought of inclusion as shown by such words as crib, crock, and creche. Our work is to find a way to have both energies — right and left brain according to biological lore — represented in the meeting. The all-encompassing divine Mind includes harmonious faculties of delineation.
Another mentioned he'd heard a testifier at a Wednesday meeting quote Luke 12:2, "..there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed."The testifier was using the quote in a relative way — i.e., that error would be revealed. Our member had always used the quote in the same way, but this time its absolute sense shone forth that beliefs of whatever sort are the coverings that drop away in the light of Reality. This then would be criticism as practiced in Christian Science — cutting through all half-baked, self-satisfied beliefs, even those seemingly hidden, to live as Love alone.
One member had discussed our problem with a non-Christian Scientist friend who suggested we set up parameters to encourage full, flat out argument on the facts of Science but not through personal attacks. As he put it, "Be hard on Science, soft on people."Furthermore, all comments would be understood to be from the perspective of the person talking. As the first member described to him what occurred at the Wednesday meeting with Luke12:2, he was struck by the other member's statement that from his perspective the Bible quote had an absolute meaning even as it continued to have a relative meaning for the testifier. This seems like a good way to approach shares at our meeting. Others liked the points made by our member's friend and will incorporate them in our further consideration of how to make the meeting a safe space for the free exchange of ideas and feelings.
The high point of the meeting arrived with a personal attack launched by the member who feels unsafe when criticized upon the member who values criticism. The former criticized the latter's sudden departure after a personal comment was made on his life a few weeks before! Well, it was a tense moment, but this time no one left. The mood shifted, and hands were raised in glee at this unexpected turn of events and the empathy it brought to all in considering the matter.
As we drew to a close one member brought to our attention the incident between Mrs. Eddy and Adelaide Still in Robert Peel's book Mary Baker Eddy Years of Authority, page 350. Mrs. Eddy had been complaining about Mrs. Sargent and Still attempted to correct Mrs. Eddy by saying she was being handled by animal magnetism. This led Mrs. Eddy to blast Miss Still. Peel remarks "...she (Still) was there to help Mrs. Eddy at moments of stress, not to lecture her; she could do this more effectively by seeing Mrs. Eddy, Mrs. Sargent and, for that matter, herself as God saw them, free, upright, perfect."
We chose for our topic this week Principle, the one subject without a Lesson Sermon* devoted to it. We'll also continue working on our preamble and spend a few minutes of the next meeting and successive ones, if needed, on it.
*The Quarterly Bible Lessons are published by The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and can be found at any Christian Science Reading Room, or Church of Christ, Scientist.
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Material sense does not unfold the facts of existence; but spiritual sense lifts human consciousness into eternal Truth.
The best sermon ever preached is Truth practised and demonstrated by the destruction of sin, sickness, and death.
The Ego-man is the reflection of the Ego-God; the Ego-man is the image and likeness of perfect Mind, Spirit, divine Principle.
The one Ego, the one Mind or Spirit called God, is infinite individuality, which supplies all form and comeliness and which reflects reality and divinity in individual spiritual man and things.
Undisturbed amid the jarring testimony of the material senses, Science, still enthroned, is unfolding to mortals the immutable, harmonious, divine Principle, —is unfolding Life and the universe, ever present and eternal.
The greatest wrong is but a supposititious opposite of the highest right. The confidence inspired by Science lies in the fact that Truth is real and error is unreal.
With one Father, even God, the whole family of man would be brethren; and with one Mind and that God, or good, the brotherhood of man would consist of Love and Truth, and have unity of Principle and spiritual power which constitute divine Science.
If one asks me, Is my concept of you right? I reply, The human concept is always imperfect; relinquish your human concept of me, or of any one, and find the divine, and you have gained the right one—and never until then.
God's law reaches and destroys evil by virtue of the allness of God.
He need not know the evil He destroys, any more than the legislator need know the criminal who is punished by the law enacted. God's law is in three words, "I am All;" and this perfect law is ever present to rebuke any claim of another law.
It is Truth's knowledge of its own infinitude which forbids the genuine existence of even a claim to error. This knowledge is light wherein there is no darkness,—not light holding darkness within itself. The consciousness of light is like the eternal law of God,